Friday, May 16, 2008

Tiger poacher held in Corbett

Tiger poacher held in Corbett

Fri, May 9 02:20 AM

The Corbett National Park authorities last week arrested a wildlife poacher who had laid a trap inside the jungle to catch a tiger. They have alleged that the arrested person belongs to the 'Bawariya gang' of poachers and works for wildlife mafia Sansar Chand's brother Narayan.

During his interrogations, the poacher is believed to have told Park officials that he was sent by a person called Gopa in Delhi to get tiger skins for Narayan.

The accused, identified as Dariya, 51, is a resident of Manana village in Sambhalka in Haryana and has served several jail terms for poaching.

He has been booked under Sections 2, 9, 27, 30, 35, 38, 50, 51, 52 and 57 of the wildlife Act.

Field Director of Corbett National Park Rajeev Bhartri said, "This is the first case after the Park was put into the category of 'Critical Tiger Habitat' in 2007. If found guilty, he can be sentenced to minimum three years imprisonment."

Dariya reportedly told the officials that he along with his four associates was camping in the Corbett Park for almost a week before he was arrested. They had tried to trap a tiger by putting kadka (a trap of net put on road) but it got damaged after an elephant walked over it. He then went to Delhi alone to get it repaired and then travelled back by train posing as a beggar. He told the officials that after identifying a tiger he could trap it within a week.